Leviticus 4:15

15 The elders of the community are to lay their hands on the bull’s head before the LORD, and the bull shall be slaughtered before the LORD.

Leviticus 4:15 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
15 And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the LORD: and the bullock shall be killed before the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
15 And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before the LORD, and the bull shall be killed before the LORD.
New Living Translation (NLT)
15 The elders of the community must then lay their hands on the bull’s head and slaughter it before the LORD .
The Message Bible (MSG)
15 The elders of the congregation will lay their hands on the bull's head in the presence of God and one of them will slaughter it before God.
American Standard Version (ASV)
15 And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before Jehovah; and the bullock shall be killed before Jehovah.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
15 The leaders of the congregation will place their hands on the bull's head in the LORD's presence. One of them will slaughter it in the LORD's presence.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
15 The elders of the assembly are to lay their hands on the bull's head before the Lord and it is to be slaughtered before the Lord.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
15 The elders of the community must place their hands on the bull's head in the sight of the Lord. The bull must be killed in the sight of the Lord.

Leviticus 4:15 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 4:15

And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands
upon the head of the bullock before the Lord
These must be two at least, some say three, and some say five F8; the more generally received notion is, that they were three of the sanhedrim F9; though the Targum of Jonathan makes them to be the twelve rulers of the twelve tribes:

and the bullock shall be killed before the Lord;
in the court near the altar of burnt offering, either by a priest, or Levite, or by a butcher, as the above Targum expresses it.


FOOTNOTES:

F8 Misn. Sotah, c. 9. sect. 1.
F9 Maimon & Bartenora in Misn. Menachot, c. 9. sect. 7. Maimon. Hilchot Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 3. sect. 10.

Leviticus 4:15 In-Context

13 “ ‘If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD’s commands, even though the community is unaware of the matter, when they realize their guilt
14 and the sin they committed becomes known, the assembly must bring a young bull as a sin offering and present it before the tent of meeting.
15 The elders of the community are to lay their hands on the bull’s head before the LORD, and the bull shall be slaughtered before the LORD.
16 Then the anointed priest is to take some of the bull’s blood into the tent of meeting.
17 He shall dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle it before the LORD seven times in front of the curtain.

Cross References 4

  • 1. S Exodus 3:16; S Exodus 19:7
  • 2. 2 Chronicles 29:23
  • 3. S Exodus 29:10; Leviticus 1:4; Leviticus 8:14,22; Numbers 8:10
  • 4. S ver 4
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